less, skulking about the premises. Mildred flew towards the mill; while
Ailwin, who never stopped to consider what was wise, and might not,
perhaps, have hit upon wisdom if she had, took up a stone, and told
Roger he had better be gone, for that he had no friends here. Roger
seemed to have just come from some orchard; for he pulled a hard apple
out of his pocket, aimed it at Ailwin's head, and struck her such a blow
on the nose as made her eyes water. While she was wiping her eyes with
her apron, and trying to see again, Roger coaxed the child to bring him
his apple again, and disappeared.

When Mildred reached the mill, she found Pastor Dendel there, talking
with her father about sending some manure to his land. The pastor was
so busy, that he only gave her a nod; and she had therefore time to
recover herself, instead of frightening everybody with her looks and her
news at once. Oliver could not stay in the house while the pastor was
at the mill: so he stood behind him, chipping away at the rough part of
his work. Mildred whispered to him that the Redfurns were close at
hand. She saw Oliver turn very red, though he told her not to be
frightened. Perhaps the pastor perceived this too, when he turned
round, for he said--

"What is the matter, children? Mildred, what have you been doing, that
you are so out of breath? Have you been running all the way from
Lincoln spire?"

"No, sir; not running--but--"

"The Redfurns are come, sir," cried Oliver. "Father, the Redfurns are
come."

"Roger has been peeping over the hedge into the garden," cried Mildred,
sinking into tears.

The miller looked grave, and said here was an end of all peace, for some
time to come.

"Are you all at the mercy of a boy like Roger Redfurn," asked the
pastor, "so that you look as if a plague had come with this fresh
breeze?"

"And his uncle, sir."

"And his aunt," added Mildred.

"You know what Stephen Redfurn is, sir," observed Mr Linacre. "Roger
beats even him for mischief. And we are at their mercy, sir. There is
not a magistrate, as you know, that will hear a complaint from one of us
against the country-people. We get nothing but trouble, and expense,
and ridicule, by making complaints. We know this beforehand; for the
triumph is always on the other side."

"It is hard," said the pastor: "but still,--here is only a man, a woman,
and a boy. Cannot you defend yourselves against them?"

"No, sir; because they are n